Motoring in England

The motor-car has done so much to change our lives. Let us discuss cars, using the English names for the parts. We shall start inside the car.

Inside the car.

We talk about being in the front and in the back and we talk about the driver's seat and the passenger seats. This is all very easy. All round the car are windows, so that you can see out - except in front. This is called the windscreen, and the things which sweep rain off it are called windscreen wipers.

Driving the car.

When we drive the car we steer with the steering wheel. If there is someone in the way we stop the car with the brake - we brake the car - and sound the horn. When it is clear to go again we accelerate to help us move off. We have а g еаr box. We change gear by pushing the gear lever from one gear to the next.

To help us to do this we have a foot pedal which is called the clutch. We put the clutch out to disengage the engine and we let the clutch in to make it drive again. Many cars have five gears: first (or bottom), second, third, top and reverse.

When we stop the car and want it to stay in one place we put on the handbrake. To start the engine we switch on the ignition, press the starter, and the engine fires. We rev it up by pressing the accelerator pedal.

Sometimes in cold weather we need to use the choke to start the car. This gives us more petrol and less air -what is called a rion mixture.

At night we switch on our lights, but in town or when someone is coming they must be dipped. To do this we operate the dip switch - sometimes this is a hand switch near the steering wheel, sometimes a foot pedal. And lastly to change direction we signal with our indicators. Those are " controls" of the car. With our hands we steer with the steering wheel, change gear with the gear lever, and put on the handbrake. We also use the indicators as they can dip the lights. With our feet we accelerate by using the accelerator, stop by using the foot brake, change gear by using the clutch, and we can have a pedal dip switch. And that is about all inside the car - except, of course, the mirror for seeing what is happening behind, the sun visors to shield our eyes against low sunshine, and, in England where they are compulsory, seat belts.

Задание 2. Выберите из текста названия частей автомобиля и переведите их на русский язык.

Задание 3. Закончите следующие предложения, выбрав нужный вариант.

1. When we drive the car we steer with...

a) the wipers; b) the steering wheel; c) the final drive.

2. If there is someone in the way we stop the car with...

a) the brake; b) the horn; c) the clutch.

3. We have a foot pedal which is called...

a) the cycles; b) the spring; c) the clutch.

4. Many cars have five...

a) gears; b) strokes; c) axles.

6. To change direction we signal with our...

a) pedals; b) indicators; c) handbrakes.

Задание 4. Пользуясь рис.4 и следующими сочетаниями слов, составьте диалог об управлении автомобилем.

The steering wheel, gear lever, to brake the car, a gear box, to switch on the ignition, press the starter, to switch on the lights.

Рис.4